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Trump convenes first ‘Board of Peace’ meeting as Gaza rebuild hinges on Hamas disarmament

President Donald Trump’s newly created Board of Peace is set to hold its first meeting Thursday, with administration officials and participating countries framing the gathering as a step toward implementing the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire and reconstruction effort rather than a moment likely to deliver an immediate breakthrough.

At least 20 countries are expected to attend the inaugural session in Washington, where Trump is slated to chair discussions on a multi-billion-dollar reconstruction framework, humanitarian coordination and the deployment of an international stabilization force.

Trump unveiled the initiative at the World Economic Forum in Davos last month. Initial members include the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, Pakistan, Turkey, Israel, Hungary, Morocco, Kosovo, Albania, Bulgaria, Argentina, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Indonesia and Vietnam.

On Sunday, Trump said members of the initiative had already pledged $5 billion toward rebuilding Gaza and would commit personnel to international stabilization and policing efforts. ‘The Board of Peace will prove to be the most consequential international body in history, and it is my honor to serve as its Chairman,’ Trump wrote in a social media post announcing the commitments.

Italy’s foreign minister, Antonio Tajani, has announced a plan to train a future Gaza police force, while Indonesia has committed thousands of troops to a prospective international stabilization mission expected to deploy later this year.

The United Arab Emirates, a founding participant in the initiative, said it plans to continue its humanitarian engagement in Gaza.

‘The UAE remains committed to scaling up its humanitarian efforts to support Palestinians in Gaza and to advancing a durable peace between Israelis and Palestinians,’ the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement, noting its role as a founding member of the Board of Peace and part of the Gaza Executive Board.

Even as Gulf and regional partners signal willingness to fund humanitarian needs, long-term reconstruction remains tied to security conditions on the ground.

Disarmament remains the central test

Analysts say the meeting’s significance will hinge less on headline announcements and more on whether participants align on the unresolved core issue shaping Gaza’s future: Hamas’ disarmament.

Ghaith al-Omari, a senior fellow at the Washington Institute, argued the meeting’s credibility will depend on whether participants coalesce around a clear position on disarmament. ‘Unless there is going to be a joint statement coming out of it that clearly says Hamas has to disarm — to me the meeting would be a failure,’ he said, because it would show ‘the U.S. cannot get everyone on the same page.’

Funding is also expected to dominate discussions, though diplomats and analysts caution that pledges may not translate quickly into large-scale reconstruction.

‘We’re going to see pledges,’ al-Omari told Fox News Digital, ‘with a footnote that a pledge does not always translate to deliverables,’ urging attention to which countries commit funds and whether the money is earmarked for humanitarian aid, stabilization or long-term rebuilding.

John Hannah, a senior fellow at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA), also cautioned that early financial pledges are unlikely to translate into immediate large-scale reconstruction. ‘I can’t imagine that much of that initial pledge or any of it is going to actual long-term or even medium-term reconstruction of Gaza. Just too many parties won’t support it, pending actual progress on the core question of disarmament and demilitarization of Hamas,’ he said.

Hannah added that the financing challenge remains enormous. ‘It’s been a major outstanding question: How are you going to fund this tremendous bill that is going to come due over the course of the next several years?’ he said. ‘I’ve been watching this now for 35 years, and if I had $100 for every time a major Arab country pledged support for the Palestinians but not delivered, I’d be a relatively wealthy man.’

Netanyahu signs on despite Turkey, Qatar tensions

The initiative has also highlighted political tensions surrounding Israel’s participation, particularly given the involvement of Turkey and Qatar.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed on to the agreement last week during a meeting with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, placing Israel formally inside the framework despite earlier Israeli objections to Ankara and Doha playing a central role in Gaza’s future.

Hannah said Netanyahu’s decision reflects strategic calculations tied to Washington. ‘I think the prime minister doesn’t want to anger the president. He’s prioritizing his really good strategic relationship with Trump over this tactical difference over Turkey and Qatar,’ he said. ‘The prime minister is just making a basic calculation of where Israel’s interests lie here and trying to balance these competing factors.’

European allies raise legal concerns

Beyond Gaza, the initiative has sparked concern among European allies, many of whom have declined to join the board.

European officials told Fox News Digital the group’s charter raises legal and institutional questions and may conflict with the original U.N. framework that envisioned a Gaza-focused mechanism.

Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, European leaders argued the Board of Peace’s mandate appears to diverge from the U.N. Security Council resolution that initially supported a Gaza-specific body.

European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the resolution envisioned a time-limited structure tied directly to Gaza and to the U.N., but that the board’s current charter no longer reflects those provisions. ‘The U.N. Security Council resolution provided for a Board of Peace for Gaza… it provided for it to be limited in time until 2027… and referred to Gaza, whereas the statute of the Board of Peace makes no reference to any of these things,’ she said. ‘So I think there is a Security Council resolution but the Board of Peace does not reflect it.’

In response, U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz criticized what he described as excessive concern over the initiative and argued the status quo in Gaza was unsustainable, and attacked what he said was ‘hand-wringing’ about the Board of Peace — saying the cycle of war with Hamas in control had to be broken.

Not a replacement for the United Nations

Despite European unease, analysts say the Board of Peace is unlikely to replace the U.N. system.

Al-Omari dismissed the idea that the initiative poses a serious institutional challenge, arguing that major powers remain deeply invested in the existing multilateral structure.

Hannah agreed, saying the administration appears to view Thursday’s meeting primarily as incremental progress rather than any kind of major breakthrough. ‘The way the administration is looking at this is just another sign of continued progress and momentum, rather than any kind of major breakthrough,’ he concluded.

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Trump marks Black History Month, announces Medal of Freedom for Carson and praises Nicki Minaj

President Donald Trump announced that former Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Ben Carson will receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom during a White House event marking the 100th anniversary of Black History Month, as attendees at one point broke into chants of ‘four more years.’

‘Ben’s getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom,’ Trump said. ‘It’s the highest award you can have outside of the Congressional Medal of Honor.’

Trump said Carson would receive the nation’s top civilian honor at a future ceremony, telling him, ‘Ben, I’ll be seeing you back here pretty soon. I think you’re going to get the award.’

The announcement came as Trump mixed tributes and cultural references with policy and political claims including criminal justice reform, crime reduction and border enforcement while hosting what he described as ‘many exceptional African American leaders and patriots’ at the White House.

Trump opened the event by noting, ‘we celebrate the 100th anniversary of Black History Month.’

He then addressed the death of the Rev. Jesse Jackson, saying, ‘I wanted to begin by expressing a sadness that the passing of a person who was. I knew very well Jesse was a piece of work. He was a piece of work. But he was a good man.’

‘I just want to pay my highest respects to Reverend Jesse Jackson,’ Trump added, calling him ‘a real hero,’ and saying ‘he really was special, with lots of personality, grit and street smarts.’

Trump introduced HUD Secretary Scott Turner and brought Carson to the front of the room, noting Carson had recommended Turner. Carson praised Turner’s role in opportunity zones, saying ‘he was really the driving force behind the Opportunity zones,’ and described Trump’s approach as ‘public private partnerships, and had everybody with skin in the game.’

Moments later, Trump returned to Carson and elaborated on the award.

‘It’s better because, you know, a lot of people get the Congressional Medal of Honor, and they’re not around,’ Trump said. ‘But it’s the highest award [for] a civilian.’

After remarks from Leo Terrell whom Trump thanked, saying, ‘Leo, that was very good,’ the crowd assembled broke into a chant of ‘four more years.’

Later, while listing Black artists and athletes, Trump singled out rapper Nicki Minaj.

‘I love Nicki Minaj. She was here a couple of weeks ago.’

‘So beautiful,’ he added, before saying, ‘and she gets it. And more importantly, she gets it.’

Trump connected Wednesday’s celebration to a broader national moment, saying, ‘Black History Month is really all about American history,’ and referencing upcoming America250 programming.

The President outlined a series of policy accomplishments for the black community, saying he ‘single handedly secured record long term funding for’ historically Black colleges and universities and reiterated, ‘we got criminal justice reform done,’ adding, ‘Nobody thought it can be done.’

Trump tied those policies to electoral performance, saying, ‘it’s no wonder that in 2024, we won more African-American votes than any Republican president in history.’

Trump also cited economic indicators, saying, ‘Earlier this month the Dow Jones Industrial Average rose above 50,000 for the first time ever,’ and adding, ‘The S&P broke 7000.’

‘More Americans are working today than at any time in American history,’ he said, before stating, ‘Since I took office, African American employment has increased by 182,000.’

The president also promoted a tax proposal, inviting a small business owner from Arkansas to speak. She told the audience, ‘no tax on tips has been amazing blessing for me.’

Trump later pivoted to crime and border enforcement, arguing ‘we need order,’ and claiming, ‘Washington DC is amazing. It was a crime capital. It was a horror show a year ago. It was really dangerous. And now it’s one of the safest cities anywhere in the country.’

‘We have the lowest murder numbers in 125 years since 1990,’ he said, adding, ‘just one year ago, we had the absolute worst border that we’ve ever had, and now we have the safest border that we’ve ever had.’

He also said he had ‘deployed the National Guard to bring back safety to Memphis and to New Orleans and Washington,’ calling the Guard ‘incredible.’

Johnson credited Trump with the First Step Act, saying, ‘President Trump did something historic in his first term. He signed the First Step act into law,’ and adding, ‘Over 40,000 individuals have come home to their families early.’

Trump closed by calling the gathering ‘a very special group of people,’ and said, ‘So happy Black History Month, happy black history year, and happy black history century.’

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Trump lauds ‘piece of work’ Jesse Jackson at ‘sold-out’ Black History Month event

President Donald Trump praised civil rights activist Jesse Jackson as a ‘real hero’ during a White House Black History Month event Wednesday, just a day after Jackson’s death.

‘I wanted to begin by expressing a sadness that the passing of a person who was. I knew very well Jesse was a piece of work. He was a piece of work. But he was a good man. He was a real hero,’ Trump said on Wednesday, earning cheers from the audience. 

Trump hosted leaders from the Black community at the White House Wednesday to honor Black History Month in February. He remarked as the event kicked off that there was a ‘sold-out crowd’ and that the upcoming White House ballroom would accommodate far more people. 

Trump had lamented Jackson’s death in a prior Truth Social post Tuesday, elaborating on Wednesday that the pair’s relationship got ‘better and better all the time.’

‘A lot of people you get to know, they get worse and worse. Jesse got better and better. But I knew him well long before becoming president, and he really was special, with lots of personality, grit and street smarts,’ Trump continued. 

Jackson, 84, died Tuesday. His cause of death has not been identified, but he had suffered from health issues including living with a rare neurological condition.

Jackson was a two-time Democratic presidential candidate, and longtime civil rights leader who joined Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in the 1960s before his assassination, and was the founder of civil rights group, Rainbow/PUSH Coalition. 

‘I will tell you, he was gregarious and someone who truly loved people and a force of nature, who is, somebody that we’re going to greatly miss. And on behalf of everyone here today, I know you join me in sending our condolences to the entire family,’ Trump continued. 

Wednesday’s event included celebrating the legacy of Black Americans, economic wins under the Trump administration, as well as Trump reigniting his 2025 announcement that former Department of Housing and Urban Development Secretary Ben Carson, who served under Trump’s first term, would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom.  

‘Ben’s getting the Presidential Medal of Freedom. It’s the highest award you can have outside of the Congressional Medal of Honor,’ Trump said.

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Rubio holding secret talks with Raul Castro’s grandson over Cuba’s future: report

Secretary of State Marco Rubio has reportedly been holding secret talks with the grandson of Raul Castro, the former President of Cuba. 

The talks between Rubio and Raul Guillermo Rodriguez Castro are bypassing official Cuban government channels, Axios reported. 

‘Our position — the U.S. government’s position — is the regime has to go,’ a senior official told the news outlet. ‘But what exactly that looks like is up to [President Trump] and he has yet to decide. Rubio is still in talks with the grandson.’

‘I wouldn’t call these ‘negotiations’ as much as ‘discussions’ about the future,’ the official added.

Earlier this month, Cuban despot Miguel Díaz-Canel warned his country is ‘close to failing’ as the U.S. shuts off commercial valves vital to its survival, such as fuel and food, followed by nearly 70 years of one-party communist rule.

Cuba’s power grid is failing, hospitals are short of necessary supplies and garbage has piled up on the streets. 

The Trump administration has ratcheted up pressure on the communist-run island in recent weeks, following the arrest of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, a Cuban ally. The administration has accused Havana of cozying up to U.S. adversaries and terrorist groups. 

Fox News Digital has reached out to the State Department. The White House referred Fox News Digital to press secretary Karoline Leavitt’s remarks on Tuesday, in which she said Havana needs to make serious changes. 

‘They are a regime that is falling,’ she said. ‘Their country is collapsing, and that’s why we believe it’s in their best interest to make very dramatic changes very soon. And we’ll see what they decide to do.’

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Florida execs sentenced in $233M Obamacare fraud that targeted homeless, hurricane victims

The president of a Florida insurance brokerage firm and the CEO of a marketing company were sentenced Wednesday to 20 years each in prison for leading a sprawling, $233 million Affordable Care Act fraud scheme that preyed on Florida’s most vulnerable residents — including homeless and jobless individuals and newly displaced hurricane victims — to pocket millions in unearned commissions.

Cory Lloyd, 46, of Stuart, Florida, and Steven Strong, 42, of Mansfield, Texas, were convicted of conspiracy and fraud for their roles in the scheme, which involved lying and falsifying government forms to obtain coverage for individuals and lying to or bribing would-be enrollees to sign up for plans even when they knew doing so would cost them their existing insurance coverage. In addition to their prison time, the pair were ordered to pay $180.6 million in restitution to their victims. 

Lloyd and Strong profited handsomely for years from the scheme, Justice Department officials said, using the proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles, an 80-foot yacht and an oceanfront home in the Florida Keys.

‘Preying upon medically compromised consumers to rob hundreds of millions of taxpayer-funded programs is evil and unforgivable,’ Attorney General Pam Bondi told Fox News Digital in a statement. 

‘Fraud schemes like this rob citizens and shake faith in our institutions. Today’s sentencing is the latest example of this DOJ’s commitment to fighting fraud nationwide,’ Bondi said.

An estimated 35,000 individuals were fraudulently enrolled in Affordable Care Act plans during the years-long scheme led by Lloyd and Strong, Justice Department officials with knowledge of the case told Fox News Digital. The two sought more than $233 million in fraudulent payments, including about $180 million in federal Affordable Care Act funding.

‘These defendants were sophisticated, licensed insurance brokers,’ Assistant Attorney General A. Tysen Duva of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division said in a statement. 

‘They had everything and intentionally took advantage of people who had nothing. The message from these sentences is simple: Those who seek to line their own pockets with taxpayer dollars, victimize our most vulnerable and deplete federal programs will be held accountable.’

The two intentionally targeted people in the state who were experiencing homelessness and people experiencing mental health disorders, including addiction to opioids or other drugs, according to materials reviewed by Fox News Digital. 

Prosecutors said at trial that Lloyd and Strong conspired to circumvent federal income and eligibility verification safeguards. They also intentionally submitted Medicaid applications designed to trigger denials, allowing them to steer those same individuals into fully subsidized Affordable Care Act plans outside the open enrollment period, maximizing commissions year-round.

Their lavish lifestyle contrasted starkly with that of the individuals they lied to and scammed. 

‘One of the really awful things about the case is that it’s not only a scheme that’s taking money from the elderly and the disabled and defrauding the taxpayers, but that it actually resulted in real harm to the patients as well,’ one Justice Department official said in an interview.

That harm included individuals losing access to life-saving treatments for opioid use disorders, mental health disorders and serious infectious diseases.

Text messages introduced at trial showed Strong and Lloyd discussing sending ‘street marketers’ into Florida hurricane shelters to recruit enrollees.

In one text exchange, Strong suggested sending their team of ‘street marketers’ into Florida hurricane shelters to recruit enrollees. Lloyd responded enthusiastically, stating, ‘It’s a killer idea, if we could pull it off!’

Prosecutors said the efforts were particularly harmful because they disrupted existing coverage plans and jeopardized access to treatment for serious conditions.

Many of the victims were experiencing homelessness or unemployment or qualified for Medicaid coverage — an insurance option for low-income or vulnerable populations that, in many cases, best suited their needs.

Jurors heard from a Jacksonville-based psychiatrist who treats homeless individuals and testified about the harm some of his patients suffered as a result of the fraud, which caused them to lose their Medicaid coverage.

This included an individual ‘living in the woods behind Walmart’ who was suffering from schizoaffective disorder, a person familiar with the case told Fox News Digital.

Like others, this individual had previously been enrolled in Medicaid, which covered the entirety of a $2,000 shot used to treat the schizoaffective disorder. Enrollment in an Affordable Care Act plan caused the individual to lose that coverage.

The sentencing comes as the Justice Department has moved aggressively to crack down on healthcare fraud, including through its ongoing ‘strike force’ program that operates across 25 federal districts and has resulted in criminal charges against about 5,000 individuals, according to information shared with Fox News Digital.

It also comes as the DOJ’s Health Care Fraud Unit secured the largest national healthcare fraud takedown in its history in 2025, officials said, charging more than $15 billion in alleged losses and forfeitures and returning more than $560 million to the public.

Justice Department officials noted the amount is ‘many, many, many times our annual budget.’

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Missile defense race shifts to space; experts say real battle is in first minutes after launch

The debate over U.S. missile defense is increasingly focused on space, and defense experts argue that stopping threats in the earliest moments after launch could determine whether the homeland remains protected against Russia and China’s expanding arsenals.

At a policy discussion marking roughly a year since the rollout of the ‘Golden Dome’ homeland defense initiative, former senior defense officials said the United States can no longer rely primarily on deterrence and retaliation to shield the country from missile attacks.

‘I think geography is no longer’ a shield, former Air Force Undersecretary Kari Bingen said during a C-SPAN panel Friday. ‘There are different types of threats that can reach the homeland.’

The Golden Dome initiative stems from a January 2025 executive order signed by President Donald Trump directing the Pentagon to accelerate development of a next-generation homeland missile defense architecture. The order calls for integrating existing ground-based interceptors with advanced tracking networks, new space-based sensors and potentially space-based interceptors capable of detecting and defeating ballistic, cruise and hypersonic missile threats earlier in flight.

Administration officials have framed the effort as a response to rapid modernization by Russia and China. 

Russia has fielded new intercontinental ballistic missiles and hypersonic glide vehicles designed to penetrate missile defenses, while China has expanded its nuclear arsenal and constructed hundreds of new missile silos in recent years. 

Both countries have invested heavily in maneuverable reentry vehicles and countermeasures intended to complicate U.S. interception efforts.

Stopping missiles early

Supporters of a stronger space layer argue that intercepting a missile early in flight — before it can deploy warheads or countermeasures — simplifies the defensive challenge and reduces the strain on systems closer to U.S. territory.

‘It gives the ability to neutralize before they manifest here at home,’ missile defense expert Thomas Karako said, referring to space-enabled capabilities that could track and potentially intercept threats sooner in their trajectory.

Karako said there is ‘a compelling case’ for space-based interceptors ‘not just against nonnuclear attack but even limited nuclear attacks,’ arguing that raising the threshold for adversaries contemplating a strike strengthens deterrence overall.

‘If you raise the threshold for having enough capability to meaningfully invest in enemies … there’s goodness in there,’ he said.

Panelists emphasized that the objective is not absolute protection against thousands of intercontinental ballistic missiles, but improving the odds of defeating smaller or more limited attacks, including those that could involve large salvos or advanced countermeasures.

Threats are evolving

Melissa Dalton, a former senior Pentagon official, said missile and drone use has become increasingly normalized in recent conflicts, lowering the perceived threshold for employment.

‘They don’t respect the boundaries,’ Dalton said, noting the growing frequency of missile and drone attacks.

Bingen argued that the U.S. historically leaned heavily on the threat of retaliation to deter attacks but that changing technologies and adversary capabilities require a broader approach.

‘Americans would be surprised how reliant we have been on vulnerability and retaliation,’ she said.

Space and integration challenges

While space-based missile defense once drew skepticism due to cost and technical hurdles, Karako said advances in commercial launch and satellite technology have changed the feasibility calculus.

‘This is not the Soviet Union in the ’80s or the ’90s,’ he said. ‘The technology has evolved quite a bit.’

Still, experts acknowledged that integration — linking sensors, interceptors and command-and-control systems at machine speed — may be the most difficult challenge.

‘We have to remember this is a layered defense system,’ Bingen said. ‘We’re not asking the space layer to do it all.’

Participants also stressed that any major expansion of homeland missile defense will require bipartisan political support to endure through election cycles and shifting budget priorities.

‘If you don’t persuade people what it’s about, it will never be built,’ Karako said.

Officials have floated an aggressive timeline — including a three-year push to stand up initial capabilities — but the Golden Dome is still in early development, with much of the work focused on planning, prototypes and initial contracts. Significant technical and acquisition hurdles remain, particularly for any space-based interceptor layer, which defense officials acknowledge would take years to fully field.

The effort marks a broader shift in how the U.S. approaches homeland defense. Rather than relying mainly on midcourse interceptors and the threat of retaliation, Golden Dome is designed to push defenses earlier in a missile’s flight — and further into space — with the goal of stopping threats before they can deploy countermeasures or overwhelm existing systems.

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CFTC chief sides with prediction markets over state regulators in a high-stakes court case

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) is stepping in to stop what it calls an “onslaught” of state-level regulation of prediction markets.

CFTC Chairman Michael Selig said Tuesday in a video posted on X that the agency has filed a “friend of the court brief” in support of Crypto.com in its escalating legal battle with regulators in Nevada.

The move is significant because it marks the first time under Selig that the CFTC has taken sides in what is shaping up to be an epic fight between regulators and prediction markets, platforms that allow users to trade contracts tied to a wide range of events, from local elections to the Super Bowl.

By intervening, Selig’s CFTC is effectively arguing that prediction markets are federally regulated and not subject to state-level gambling laws.

“Over the past year, American prediction markets have been hit with an onslaught of state-led litigation,” Selig said in the video.

“The CFTC will no longer sit idly by while overzealous state governments undermine the agency’s exclusive jurisdiction over these markets by seeking to establish statewide prohibitions on these exciting products,’ said Selig.

The debate over how the platforms should be regulated comes as they explode in popularity. Kalshi said Super Bowl 60 generated more than $1 billion in total trading volume — a 2,700% increase from last year.

It’s a fight with broad implications and high stakes. Over the past year, several states including Massachusetts and Nevada have moved to restrict prediction markets, filing lawsuits, issuing cease-and-desist letters and arguing that the platforms amount to unlicensed gambling.

Utah’s Republican governor, Spencer Cox, said in a post on X Tuesday that he will use “every resource” within his disposal to “beat” Selig in court.

“These prediction markets you are breathlessly defending are gambling—pure and simple,” he said. “They are destroying the lives of families and countless Americans, especially young men. They have no place in Utah.”

Meanwhile, Cox’s fellow Republican, Sen. Bernie Moreno of Ohio, issued his support of Selig’s announcement on X. “Clear lines of delineation and clarity on regulations is essential for American led innovation,’ he said.

Selig’s move comes days after a group of Democratic senators led by Nevada’s Catherine Cortez Masto sent the chairman a letter urging the CFTC to ‘abstain from intervening in pending litigation involving contracts tied to sports, war, or other prohibited events.’

As states attempt to rein in these fast-growing platforms, the question is no longer simply whether these products amount to gambling. It’s who gets to decide that question.

Industry advocates argue that the platforms aren’t gaming, which is traditionally regulated by states. Instead, they claim the prediction markets are financial exchanges that fall under the CFTC’s purview, where users trade contracts with one another. and don’t bet against a “house.” The exchanges don’t set odds or take the opposite side of trades. Instead, they collect transaction fees, similar to a brokerage.

In the video, Selig said prediction markets allow Americans to “hedge commercial risks like increases in temperature and energy price spikes,” and they act as “an important check on our news media and our information screens.”

He ended the video with a warning directed at the state attorneys general who are on the front lines of the legal fights to regulate prediction markets: “To those who seek to challenge our authority in this space, let me be clear: We will see you in court.”

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Kevin Durant addresses social media burner account speculation

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Feb. 18 following a practice, Durant was asked about speculation that an account on X, formerly known as Twitter, might belong to Durant. The account handle, @gethigher77, was created in August 2021 and has just 75 followers and is following 75 other users. The account recently went private.

Over the All-Star break, screenshots emerged that showed the account openly criticizing current and former teammates of Durant.

“I know you’ve got to ask these questions, but I’m not here to get into Twitter nonsense,” Durant said. “I’m just here to focus on the season, keep it pushing, but I get why you have to ask those questions.”

When pressed further and asked whether he had addressed the matter with his Rockets teammates, Durant once again deflected.

“My teammates know what it is,” he said. “We’ve been locked in the whole season. We enjoyed our break. We had a great practice today, and we look forward to the road trip.”

The Rockets, who are 33-20 and in a tight race near the top of the Western Conference, are set to go on a two-game trip to Charlotte and New York.

The screenshots from the @gethigher77 account led to speculation over the weekend that the tone and speech patterns were similar to messages Durant has used in the past from his verified accounts.

The images show direct messages sent from the account that seemingly disparage Rockets All-Star center Alperen Şengün and forward Jabari Smith Jr. Those direct messages are in the first person and imply that the Rockets are “this (expletive) ass team.” The messages also use offensive epithets.

“Your franchise player can’t shoot or defend,” one message reads, seemingly alluding to Şengün. “That’s a wayyyyyyy bigger issue than my turnovers. Remember, these guys are your future.”

“I can’t trust Jabari to make a (expletive) shot or get a stop,” another message reads, before calling Smith a common epithet against people with a learning disability.

It’s important to stress that there has been no direct evidence tying Durant to the account and that the supposed link is, at this point, merely internet speculation.

Known to be active on his social media channels, particularly when responding to other users or trolls, Durant even said during a 2019 interview with ESPN that he used burner accounts.

“I wasn’t used to that amount of attention from playing basketball,” Durant said then. “I wanted a place where I could talk to my friends without anybody butting in on my conversations or mixing my words or taking everything out of context because I enjoyed that place.”

Previously, in 2017, Durant was seemingly caught using a burner account when a fan addressed his official account and Durant responded by speaking in the third person.

Then, in July 2023, after the launch of Threads, Durant posted a message to Twitter, saying: “On threads with the burner. Come find me.”

During a press conference Saturday, Feb. 14 at All-Star media day, Durant was asked if he was forced to give up X or video games for the rest of his life, which one he would choose.

“Damn,” Durant said then. “I’m going to go Twitter. I’m going to go Twitter, because they don’t deserve to hear this God-level talk I’m giving to them. They take it for granted, cuz.”

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Napheesa Collier on WNBA CBA talks: ‘Someone’s gonna have to fold’

As the WNBA and its players’ union continue to negotiate a new collective bargaining agreement, the 2026 WNBA season hangs in the balance.

‘Well, someone’s gonna have to fold, aren’t they?’ Collier told USA TODAY Sports regarding the ongoing CBA talks while promoting a partnership with Unrivaled and Icy Hot.

A five-time WNBA All-Star with the Minnesota Lynx, Collier says the union continues to meet with the hope of getting a deal done. But, she reiterated the players’ plan to stand firm amidst the revenue sharing road block and housing concessions by the WNBA.

On Tuesday, the players’ union submitted a counterproposal in response to the WNBA’s Feb. 7 submission. In the proposal, the WNBPA requested 25% of gross revenue in the first year, increasing over the life of the agreement to an average of roughly 27.5%. The union also proposed a salary cap of less than $9.5 million.

The latest requested revenue share percentage is less than the proposal in December, where players asked for 30% of gross revenue. The WNBA is currently offering more than 70% of league and team net revenue. The league is also proposing a salary cap of $5.65 million per year, rising with league revenues.

In Tuesday’s counterproposal, the WNBPA advocated for housing to continue in the early years of a player’s career. The union proposed housing could be shed in later years of a contract and would be adjusted and phased out for players who make a certain amount of money on a multi-year, fully guaranteed contract.

The WNBA issued a statement, saying: “The Players Association’s latest proposal remains unrealistic and would cause hundreds of millions of dollars of losses for our teams. We still need to complete two Drafts and free agency before the start of training camp and are running out of time.  We believe the WNBA’s proposal would result in a huge win for current players and generations to come.”

According to a person with knowledge of the situation, the players’ union’s proposal would allegedly result in projected losses of $460 million over the lifetime of the agreement for WNBA teams. The person went on to share that the deal has to benefit both the players and teams to ensure continued investment and growth in the league.

Collier shared with USA TODAY that she did not have a specific response to the WNBA’s statement, but did reveal some thoughts.

‘We don’t think, obviously, what we’re asking for is unfair, otherwise we wouldn’t be asking for it,’ Collier said. ‘But we understand it’s a negotiation, and I think we are trending in the right direction. But, we have to be able to stand strong in what we believe in and make sure that we are getting a fair cut in this pie that we are building together as a league and as players.’

A person with knowledge of the situation told USA TODAY Sports there is a sense of urgency from the players’ union. According to the person, as Collier mentioned, the desire to play in 2026 remains, along with securing a transformational deal where the WNBPA ‘doesn’t negotiate against themselves.’

The regular season is scheduled to start May 8. However, before that can happen, the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire will have expansion drafts. Free agency and the 2026 WNBA draft also need to take place. Collier is aware that the closer the clock moves to May 8, the more anxious people may become. Still, she has hope things will work themselves out.

‘I hope people just remember that we want to be out there, too. I think it gets [lost] with lots of different narratives out there that we’re being unreasonable, whatever it is ― this is our livelihood. This is our job, our passions, what we love to do most in the world. We want to be out there. It’s just such a pivotal time in women’s sports, and we’ve been growing, growing, growing for so long,’ Collier said.

‘Again, we just have to stand strong in what we believe in and what we think is fair. So I just hope they hold out and believe in us, continue to support us ― which they have been; they’ve been great ― and just know that we are gonna play again. It’s gonna happen. This thing is gonna happen. Just be patient with us. Keep supporting us, and we’re gonna get there.’

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Winter Olympics higlights: Mikaela Shiffrin delivers gold in slalom

Editor’s Note: USA men’s hockey defeated Sweden in a quarterfinal matchup. Click here to view highlights of the game.

MILAN — Wednesday’s competition at the 2026 Winter Olympics proved to be action-packed.

In men’s slopestyle snowboarding, American Jake Canter came from far back in the pack to win a bronze medal. In the women’s slopestyle competition, Team USA’s Lily Dhawornvej and Jessica Perlmutter did not make the podium.

USA men’s hockey picked up an emotional 2-1 win over Sweden, a squad loaded with NHL players, in the quarterfinals thanks to a game-winning goal in overtime from Quinn Hughes. The goal from the Minnesota Wild defenseman sends the United States to the semifinals, where it will face Slovakia.

USA TODAY Sports has a team of more than a dozen journalists on the ground in Italy to bring you behind the scenes with Team USA and keep you up to date with every medal win, big moment and triumphant finish. Get our Chasing Gold newsletter in your inbox every morning and join our WhatsApp channel to get the latest updates right in your texts.

Quinn Hughes lifts USA men’s hockey to OT win

Quinn Hughes sends USA men’s hockey into the semifinals with a game-winning goal in overtime against Sweden in the quarterfinals. The United States will now play Slovakia in the semifinals.

Sweden ties game against USA men’s hockey

Sweden ties it up at 1-1 with 1:30 remaining in the third period. It’s a fitting moment for the final quarterfinal game of the day, as all of the other quarterfinal matchups have seen tying goals late in the third period to force overtime.

USA men’s hockey nearing in on win

USA men’s hockey is six minutes away from advancing further in the Winter Olympics, as the United States leads Sweden 1-0 in the third quarter. Dylan Larkin has the United State’s lone goal of the game, which came in the second period.

USA men’s hockey takes 1-0 lead against Sweden

USA men’s hockey takes a 1-0 lead against Sweden in the second period, thanks to Dylan Larkin tipping in a Jack Hughes shot shortly after a faceoff win. The United States is outshooting Sweden 21-18 in the quarterfinal match.

Click here to view live updates of the USA men’s hockey vs. Sweden quarterfinal matchup.

USA men’s hockey, Sweden scoreless after first period

The USA had a strong start, running up a 6-0 edge in shots as U-S-A cheers reverberated from the stands. But about seven minutes in, the Swedes – who had played the night before – found their legs and gave as good as they got. Shots after 20 minutes were 10-10. – Helene St. James and Mike Brehm

Click here to view live updates of the USA men’s hockey vs. Sweden quarterfinal matchup.

How Sidney Crosby helped Canada rally at Olympics despite injury

MILAN — Even when he couldn’t be in the lineup because his right leg had buckled in ways legs shouldn’t, Sidney Crosby made a difference for Canada.

With the quarterfinal against Czechia tied after two periods, Crosby addressed his teammates. The gist of the message? Go get ’em.

Canada did. Mitch Marner scored 1:22 into overtime to seal a 4-3 victory, sending Canada to the semifinals on Feb. 20 at Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena. Whether the lineup will include Crosby is unknown; Canada coach Jon Cooper did not have an update immediately after the game.

‘He couldn’t come out for the third,’ Cooper said. ‘But he did address the players, and I think that was a big thing coming in is, that we lose this game − we didn’t want this to be Sid’s last game at this Olympics’ – Helene St. James

Mikaela Shiffrin’s Olympic gold was magnificent. Appreciate her greatness

CORTINA D’AMPEZZO, Italy — Mikaela Shiffrin didn’t need this Olympic gold medal.

Her legacy was secured long ago, between her other two Olympic golds, her World Cup wins record and all the other superlatives she’s achieved. But that’s never been good enough for the peanut gallery, which tunes in every four years and doesn’t understand why Shiffrin can’t just conjure gold medals out of snow.

Maybe now they’ll finally get off her back.

“The irony is I’ve cared so much about wanting everybody to know the reality and to not want to answer those questions and to be so sick and tired of it. And I’ve felt that way since (being) fourth in South Korea in the slalom,” Shiffrin said.

“In order to do this today, I kind of needed to accept the possibility that those questions would keep coming,” she said. “It was like, just don’t resist it. Just live in my own moment.”

And that moment? My God, was it magnificent.

Shiffrin obliterated the field in winning the Olympic slalom on Wednesday, Feb. 18, finishing a whopping 1.50 seconds ahead. Silver medalist Camille Rast was closer to 12th-place finisher Laurence St-Germain than she was to Shiffrin. – Nancy Armour

Canada survives scare to advance in Olympic men’s hockey

Canada can breathe a little easier. Its loaded men’s hockey team avoided a monumental upset in the Olympic quarterfinals for the second-straight time with a 4-3 overtime win against Czechia on Tuesday.

Mitch Marner of the Las Vegas Golden Knights was the hero, scoring the deciding goal 1 minute, 22 seconds into the 3-on-3 overtime period, knifing through the Czechia defense before flipping a backhanded shot into the back of the net. Nick Suzuki had tied the score at 3 late in the third period after Czechia took the lead for a second time in Tuesday’s quarterfinal.

The top-seeded Canadians will next face the lowest seed to advance to the Olympic semifinals. Slovakia also advanced to the semifinals in early quarterfinal action.

Canada, Czechia headed to OT in men’s hockey quarterfinals

Canada is still alive in its men’s hockey quarterfinal game against Czechia and a 10-minute, 3-on-3 overtime awaits to determine who makes the semifinals.

Canada tied the score at 3 with a goal from Montreal Canadians captain Nick Suzuki with less than four minutes remaining in regulation. Suzuki tipped a shot by teammate Devon Toews into the back of the net.

In case you’re wondering about Olympic hockey overtime rules, USA TODAY Sports has you covered by clicking here. Live updates from Canada vs. Czechia can be found here.

Sidney Crosby out, Canada on the ropes in men’s hockey quarterfinals

Team Canada men’s hockey captain Sidney Crosby has been ruled out for the rest of Tuesday’s quarterfinal game against Czechia due to a lower-body injury, according to Hockey Canada. But the top-seeded Canadians have bigger issues than that as Czechia has just taken the lead with less than eight minutes to go in the third period.

Ondrej Palat of the New York Islanders gave Czechia a 3-2 lead off a feed from Martin Necas that came as a result of a blocked shot by Tomas Hertl. This would be a huge upset after Canada beat Czechia, 5-0, in the preliminary round-robin games.

Sidney Crosby injured, Canada tied with Czechia in men’s hockey quarterfinals

It has become a tenuous Tuesday for the Canadian men’s hockey team. They’re locked in a tight quarterfinal game against Czechia, knotted at 2-2 after Nathan McKinnon scored on the power play more than halfway through the second period. But Canada might have to pull this one out with its captain, Sidney Crosby.

Crosby left the game shortly before Canada tied it up due to an injury he suffered after taking a hit near the boards. Crosby sat on the bench in pain for a few moments before heading to the locker room.

Canada trails Czechia in men’s hockey quarterfinals

Canada entered the Olympic men’s hockey quarterfinals as the top seed after a dominating run through preliminary round-robin action. But the Canadians are being tested by Czechia on Tuesday in their first elimination game of the 2026 Olympic tournament and they trail Czechia, 2-1, to start the second period.

David Pastrnak’s power-play goal nearly 15 minutes into the first period gave Czechia the lead. Canada quickly jumped out to a 1-0 advantage with a Macklin Celebrini even-strength goal, but a turnover in the neutral zone midway through the period allowed Radko Gudas and Roman Cervenka to set up Lukas Sedlak for an equalizer.

Canada beat Czechia, 5-0, to start off these Winter Olympics, so this is a surprising score despite the presence of plenty of NHL players on both rosters. Canada suffered a stunning in the quarterfinals of the 2022 Beijing Olympics.

Is this best USA women’s hockey team ever?

‘Absolutely,’ Olympic champion Monique Lamoureux told USA TODAY Sports on Tuesday.

Many talented squads have worn USA across their chests. There’s the 1998 team that clinched Olympic gold in the inaugural women’s competition in Nagano. The 2018 team topped the podium following a dramatic shootout in Pyeongchang, made possible by Lamoureux’s game-tying goal and her twin Jocelyne’s shootout winner.

But the 2026 U.S. women’s team could be the most complete squad we’ve seen on the Winter Olympics stage. The U.S. women have been unstoppable in their run to Thursday’s gold medal game against Canada. Depth is their superpower and they are firing on all cylinders, with nearly every player on the roster on the score sheet. Read more here. ‒ Cydney Henderson

USA hockey star Hilary Knight proposes to speed skater Brittany Bowe at Olympics

U.S. women’s hockey captain Hilary Knight is going for gold as the Americans prepare to face off against Canada on Thursday, but that’s not the only bling being dished out in Milan.

Knight proposed to U.S. speed-skater Brittany Bowe on Wednesday, Feb. 18, as both athletes compete at the 2026 Winter Olympics. It marks a full circle moment for the couple, who first met at the 2022 Beijing Winter Games.

‘Olympics brought us together. This one made us forever,’ Knight captioned an Instagram video of the proposal. Read more here. ‒ Cydney Henderson

No USA medal in women’s snowboard slopestyle

Jess Perlmutter had a nice second run that resulted in a 68.18 and momentarily put her in fourth place heading into the final run of the women’s snowboard slopestyle event, but the competition was too stiff for the young Americans. Perlmutter finished in sixth place, while Lily Dhawornvej came in 11th.

Both are 16 years old, so the future is bright for the upstart Americans.

Zoi Sadowski Synnott of New Zealand nearly defended her gold medal with an electric final run, but came up just short behind Japan’s Mari Fukada. Kokomo Murase, also of Japan, took bronze. – Chris Bumbaca

Lindsey Vonn shares heartbreaking update ahead of latest surgery

Skier Lindsey Vonn has had a heartbreaking Winter Olympics already after crashing out and suffering severe leg injuries in the women’s downhill. But that athletic disappointment seems trivial in comparison to what she’s experienced off the slopes.

‘This has been an incredibly hard few days,’ Vonn wrote in a social media post. ‘Probably the hardest of my life.’

On her Instagram account, Vonn revealed that her dog Leo died the day after her crash at the Milano Cortina Games: ‘Heading in for more surgery today. Will be thinking of him when I close my eyes. I will love you forever my big boy.’

Slovakia defeats Germany in men’s hockey quarterfinals

The Germans, confident they were hitting their stride, stumbled instead, losing 6-2 to plucky Slovakia, who went from group winner to Olympic semifinalist. The Slovakians, well-rested from having two days between games, made it 1-0 in the first period on a goal from Pavol Regenda. Slovakia really took over in the second period, with goals from Milos Kelemen and Oliver Okuliar 33 seconds apart early in the second period, prompting Germany to take a timeout. 

Dalibor Dvorsky furthered the damage to 4-0 before Lukas Reichel put Germany on the board.

Regenda scored again in the third period, and Frederik Tiffels edged Germany within three goals with 11 minutes to play. Tomas Tatar put his Slovaks back up by four with an empty-net goal with 3:27 to play.

The Germans looked tired from having played the previous day, needing to advance to the quarterfinals by beating France in a qualification game. — Helene St. James

US teens in striking distance after slopestyle opening run

The first run of women’s snowboard slopestyle finals ended with the two American teenagers representing the Stars and Stripes, Jess Perlmutter and Lily Dhawronvej, in sixth and seventh place, respectively.

The defending gold medalist in the event, New Zealand’s Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, was in third. Kokomo Murase of Japan was in first. − Chris Bumbaca

Mikaela Shiffrin is golden again in slalom

As the last skier down the mountain in the women’s slalom, Mikaela Shiffrin delivered when it mattered most.

After winning gold in the event in 2014, but suffering through disappointment the past two Olympics, Shiffrin came through with the run of her life and returned to the top of the podium.

She took a massive lead of 0.82 seconds into the second run. And she put her stamp on the final event of the Alpine skiing competition by posting a combined time of 1:39.10, a full 1.5 seconds ahead of silver medalist Camille Rast of Switzerland.

It’s Shiffrin’s fourth medal in the Winter Olympics − tying her with with Julia Mancuso for most by a U.S. woman in Alpine skiing.

USA stuns with silver in men’s cross-country skiing 

Entering the 2026 Winter Olympics, Team USA had only won four cross-country skiing medals in Olympic history. The Americans have nearly matched that in Milano Cortina alone after picking up another medal.

Team USA claimed silver in the men’s team sprint free. Ben Ogden and Gus Schumacher posted a time of 18:30.35 for the U.S. cross-country skiing team’s third podium finish after Jessie Diggins claimed bronze in the women’s 10km and Ogden won bronze in the individual sprint.

Ogden and Schumacher finished 1.37 seconds off the top pace of Norway as Johannes Høsflot Klæbo won his record 10th Olympic Winter Games gold medal. − Cydney Henderson

Freestyle skiing: US duo advance in women’s aerials

Team USA’s Kaila Kuhn produced a clutch triple jump on her second attempt to score a 109.9 and advance to the top-six finals of the women’s aerials.American Winter Vinecki (107.75) advanced as well, giving the U.S. team two medal hopefuls in the final six of finals. — Gentry Estes

Freestyle skiing: Women’s aerials through one round

The Americans have some ground to make up after the first round of two jumps in the women’s aerials final.Winter Vinecki (99.89) is in sixth place, while USA teammates Kaila Kuhn (87.00) is in ninth and Tasia Tanner (85.36) in 11th.The top six finalists will advance to the medal round after two different jumps, with the best one counting.Australia’s Danielle Scott leads with a 117.19. — Gentry Estes

USA’s Jake Canter earns shocking bronze in slopestyle

With a spectacular final run, American snowboarder Jake Canter won bronze in the men’s slopestyle competition.

Canter was in 10th after the first two runs, but went all out for his third and final run of the day. He flipped an extra rotation off the last rail element, stomped his last two jumps and raised both arms in excitement as he went to the finish area.

Awaiting his score, he made the sign for ‘prayer hands.” The shred gods delivered a nice number on his behalf — 79.36.

China’s Su Yiming took gold and was by far the most consistent rider of the day. His best score was 82.41 on his first run. Taiga Hasegawa from Japan took silver with 82.13, also secured in his first run.

Team USA veteran Red Gerard placed sixth with a best score of 76.60. And 17-year-old Ollie Martin came in ninth with a 75.36. − Chris Bumbaca

Winter Vinecki, Tasia Tanner join Kalia Kuhn in freestyle skiing aerials finals

Winter Vinecki and Tasia Tanner of the USA advanced in the second stage of morning qualifying in the women’s freestyle skiing aerials and will join Kalia Kuhn in the afternoon’s finals.Kuhn advanced among the top six jumps in the first stage, and the top six after the second stage advanced, too, making 12 finalists out of the 25 skiers in the field.Vinecki was fourth after the second qualifying (10th overall), and Tanner just made it on the bubble, finishing sixth (12th overall among finalists).The other American in the field, Kyra Dossa, finished 14th overall and did not advance.The finals will start in about 90 minutes. — Gentry Estes

Mikaela Shiffrin takes massive lead into second slalom run

The gold is Mikaela Shiffrin’s to lose.

Shiffrin takes a massive lead into the second run of the slalom, the last Alpine event at the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics. She is 0.82 seconds ahead of Germany’s Lena Duerr.

Just how commanding is that? There is as much difference between Shiffrin and Duerr as there is between Duerr and Katharina Truppe. Who is 10th.

Shiffrin had said she had a ‘really wonderful’ training session after the team combined and it showed. Aside from a slight bobble in a tricky combination about midway through the course, Shiffrin had a perfect run. She was aggressive and confident, her technique so solid she appeared to flow from one gate into the next.

The start order for the second run is a reverse of the results from the first, meaning Shiffrin will go last.  — Nancy Armour

Kalia Kuhn advances to finals for freestyle skiing aerials

American Kalia Kuhn has advanced directly into this afternoon’s finals of the Olympic women’s aerials competition by finishing sixth in the first jumps of morning qualifying.

Other members of the U.S. team – Winter Vinecki (9th), Tasia Tanner (12th) and Kyra Dossa (23rd) – will have opportunity with another jump in the second stage of qualifying. The top 6 in each qualifying round advance to the finals, making 12 total out of a field of 25 competitors.

A long day is underway. Heavy snow in Livigno this week prompted organizers to change the schedule and put the qualifying and finals for women’s aerials on the same day. — Gentry Estes

Where to watch Olympics today

Watch all 2026 Winter Olympics events on NBC and Peacock.

Watch Olympics on Peacock

Olympics schedule today

All times Eastern and accurate as of Tuesday, Feb. 17, 2026, at 5:34 p.m.

  • 3 a.m. – Nordic Combined: Large Hill Official Training 4, Predazzo Ski Jumping Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
  • 3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – CHN vs. DEN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – USA vs. GBR, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 3:05 a.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – SWE vs. KOR, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 3:45 a.m. – Cross-Country Skiing: Women’s Team Sprint Free Qualification, Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
  • 4 a.m. – Alpine Skiing: Women’s Slalom Run 1, Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 4 a.m. – Bobsleigh: 4-man Official Training Heat 1 & 2, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 4:15 a.m. – Cross-Country Skiing: Men’s Team Sprint Free Qualification , Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
  • 5:30 a.m. – Freestyle Skiing: Women’s Aerials Finals – medal event, Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
  • 5:45 a.m – Cross-Country Skiing: Women’s Team Sprint Free Final , Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
  • 6:10 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Playoffs Quarterfinals – Slovakia vs. Germany , Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
  • 6:15 a.m. – Cross-Country Skiing: Men’s Team Sprint Free Final , Tesero Cross-Country Skiing Stadium (Val di Fiemme)
  • 6:30 a.m. – Snowboard: Men’s Slopestyle Final – medal event, Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
  • 7:30 a.m. – Alpine Skiing: Women’s Slalom Run 2 – medal event, Tofane Alpine Skiing Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 8 a.m. – Bobsleigh: 2-Woman Official Training, Cortina Sliding Centre (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – ITA vs. CAN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – CHN vs. CZA, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – NOR vs. SUI, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 8:05 a.m. – Curling: Men’s Round Robin – USA vs. GBR, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 6:30 a.m. – Snowboard: Women’s Slopestyle Final – medal event, Livigno Snow Park (Livigno, Valtellina)
  • 8:45 a.m. – Biathlon: Women’s 4 x 6km Relay – medal event, Anterselva Biathlon Arena (Antholz)
  • 10:40 a.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Playoffs Quarterfinals – Canada vs. Czechia , Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
  • 12:10 p.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Playoffs Quarterfinals – Finland vs. Switzerland , Milano Rho Ice Hockey Arena
  • 1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – GBR vs. JPN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – SUI vs. DEN, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – CAN vs. ITA, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 1:05 p.m. – Curling: Women’s Round Robin – CHN vs. SWE, Cortina Curling Olympic Stadium (Cortina d’Ampezzo)
  • 2:15 p.m. – Short Track: Men’s 500m Quarterfinals, Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
  • 2:45 p.m. – Short Track: Men’s 500m Semifinals, Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
  • 2:51 p.m. – Short Track: Women’s 3000m Relay Final B, Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
  • 3 p.m. – Short Track: Women’s 3000m Relay Final A – medal event, Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
  • 3:10 p.m. – Ice Hockey: Men’s Playoffs Quarterfinals – USA vs. Sweden , Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena
  • 3:27 p.m. – Short Track: Men’s 500m Final B, Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)
  • 3:32 p.m. – Short Track: Men’s 500m Semifinals, Milano Ice Skating Arena (Milan)

Olympics medal count

Following competition on Tuesday, Feb. 17, Norway continues to dominate the medal standings with 31 (14 gold, eight silver and nine bronze). Host nation Italy as the second-most medals with 24, followed by the United States (21), Germany (20) and Japan (19).

More 2026 Winter Olympics

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